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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28867998">We'll Always Be There | NCT Yuta-centric</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribulus/pseuds/hazy_dreams'>hazy_dreams (Scribulus)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>inside our world [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Kidnapping, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Nakamoto Yuta-centric, Non-Consensual Drug Use</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:20:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,956</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28867998</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribulus/pseuds/hazy_dreams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Request: Hi! Could you please do a Yuta centric fic without ships? There's literally no Yuta-centric fics and it's super depressing. Preferably the other members worrying about Yuta in some way, maybe a fic where he is kidnapped by a weird manager or staff member or even a crazy fan and the other members don't realise but then get super worried, but all goes well cause I live for angst with a happy ending😌. If you're not okay with writing something like that, maybe some angst in general about the members with Yuta. Just something about Yuta and the other members that doesn't have ships. Thank you!❤️</p><p>Requested by: ILoveYuta</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nakamoto Yuta &amp; Everyone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>inside our world [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1376899</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>ah, this took longer than i thought... sorry for the delay! hope you like it :) enjoy part 1!</p><p>tw: kidnapping, non-consensual drug use</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The only reason, Yuta later maintained, that this ever happened in the first place was because he was technically asleep and their now ex-manager had promised that he would take him home. Otherwise he would have kicked his ass. Donghyuck would burst into giggles and remind him of the time he raced out of the washroom half-naked because he saw a spider.</p><p> </p><p>Yuta would complain and get the other members involved, and they would usually take turns teasing him until he whined that he was being bullied. It was usually at that point that either Johnny or Taeyong made disapproving faces at them and told them to quiet down - unless it was Haechan dissing him, then Johnny tended to become mysteriously quiet.</p><p> </p><p>He would pout for a while until either Taeil or Sicheng went and got him vegetable juice as an apology, then they would all start laughing.</p><p> </p><p>It was in the past and he was safe with them. It became an old joke, full of the humor that Taeyong would lecture them on being dark. Until they eventually teased him till he laughed too, and gave it up for the day.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, when it happened, it was no laughing matter.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>"Hey, where's Yuta?" Taeil frowned absently, looking around for the Japanese member. They had just came back from extensive filming and everyone was exhausted. Their only intention was to get back to the dorms and sleep. So it was surprising for Yuta not to be there.</p><p> </p><p>"Yuta-hyung? I thought he was with manager-nim." Doyoung glanced over, exhaustion lining his face.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, okay. I guess they'll come over soon." Taeil shrugged it off.</p><p> </p><p>They had just gotten a new manager, a tall, strong-featured man who was in his late thirties. He had come to replace their former manager, who had resigned because he was moving to a different country.</p><p> </p><p>They hadn't viewed the change as anything odd - maybe a little regretful and sad, because they had spent a lot of time with him, but to be honest, they didn't have the time to feel sad. So their new manager, Kim Junghwa, became a new fixture in their lives.</p><p> </p><p>Apart from the cursory one week watch, Taeil honestly hadn't noticed anything particularly off about him, apart from the fact that he could be a little <em>too</em> charming at times. But whenever he thought that, Taeil was quick to shake it off.</p><p> </p><p>They were idols. It was literally in the job description to ooze charisma and be great at fanservice; he should be the last one judging their new manager. And besides. He was nice to them, and pretty friendly. Despite this, Taeil couldn't help but experience a feeling of foreboding.</p><p> </p><p>"Hyung?" </p><p> </p><p>Taeil blinked out of his thoughts to find Doyoung staring at him, a crease in his forehead. </p><p> </p><p>"Ah, sorry Doyoung-ah. I must have been more tired than I thought," Taeil smiled slightly at him. "I'm sure they'll be along in a few minutes, I was just curious."</p><p> </p><p>Doyoung slowly nodded, expression lightening. "Yes, I hear manager-nim say that he wanted to talk to Yuta-hyung about something."</p><p> </p><p>Dismissing it, Taeil nodded. "Let's go. They'll catch up to us later, I'm sure." They both left the room, conversation fading off as they both deeply felt their exhaustion once more.</p><p> </p><p>It wouldn't be until Taeyong tore through the dorms, wild-eyed and messy haired, that he would realise something was wrong.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>"Yuta-ssi!" A mostly familiar voice called out to him.</p><p> </p><p>Yuta turned quickly in the chair he was sitting in, tiredness blurring his vision as he squinted for a moment at the person standing in front of him. "Oh, manager-nim. I was just about to go to the van."</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, about that, there isn't enough space. You'll have to go with me, I hope that's okay," Junghwa said in his typical smooth, suave way.</p><p> </p><p>Yuta frowned, feeling slightly dizzy. His thoughts were muddled, and honestly, he wasn't in the right headspace to be making decisions. He was quick to push past it though. "Yes, that would be fine." Standing, he swayed slightly on his feet.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. He should probably just squeeze in with Taeyong and the others; he honestly wasn't feeling the greatest right now. Before he could say anything though, Junghwa was quick to sidle up to him, presenting a waterbottle.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, you must have stood up too quickly," he scolded gently. "Here, have some water, you must be dehydrated."</p><p> </p><p>Blinking in mild surprise, he accepted the water bottle from the older man.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, thank you." Unscrewing the bottle, he drank half of it quickly, not noticing the sudden, strange, triumphant glint in Junghwa's eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Overcome by another wave of exhaustion, Yuta swayed again, smacking his lips at the faint salty taste in his mouth. Man, he couldn't wait to get to bed.</p><p> </p><p>"The car is this way, Yuta-ssi." Junghwa said beside him.</p><p> </p><p>Nodding, he stumbled after him. Yuta didn't think he had felt so tired in his life... and his mouth tasted gross. Yuta counted it to be a miracle that he had made it to the car without falling on his ass. </p><p> </p><p>Flopping gracelessly in the backseat, Yuta barely noticed when Junghwa entered and started the engine. Maybe a short nap wouldn't hurt... </p><p> </p><p>With that, Yuta fully succumbed to the call of sleep.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Junghwa glanced around nervously as he entered a side road, turning the opposite direction of the dorms. He met the slumbering form of Yuta in the backseat and a sneer rose to his strong features unbidden. God, he hated idols.  They thought they were so talented and perfect - yet they couldn't recognize true talent when they saw it.</p><p> </p><p>Like him.</p><p> </p><p>Like his son.</p><p> </p><p>He didn't mind his rejection so much, but he truly loathed them for what they had done to his son.</p><p> </p><p>They rejected him, left him broken. Like any of them were better than him.</p><p> </p><p>His grip on the steering wheel tightened.</p><p> </p><p>They weren't. And Junghwa was going to enjoy showing that to them.</p><p> </p><p>A slow, sinister smirk crept across his face, perfectly matching their surroundings.</p><p> </p><p>Yes, he was going to enjoy his revenge very much indeed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Yuta woke up cold. Shivering relentlessly, he weakly flopped about for blankets, only to be met with cold, damp stone.</p><p> </p><p>He froze.</p><p> </p><p>The next shiver that raced up his spine had nothing to do with the cold.</p><p> </p><p>Twitching, he struggled to open his eyes, his head pounding. Yuta felt like he'd had way too much to drink, stomach roiling and mouth tasting absolutely disgusting. With one last fight, he managed to crack his eyes open.</p><p> </p><p>Peering around with heavy, half-lidded eyes, he took in his surroundings, shivering something awful. It was dark and damp, with only a single light bulb to illuminate the cramped, uncomfortable space. </p><p> </p><p>Forcing himself up, Yuta crumbled against the stone wall, which did nothing to help him feel any warmer. If anything, he became aware of the way his entire body throbbed - especially his wrist and thigh.</p><p> </p><p>Panting slightly, he slowly raised his right hand, from where it was uselessly lying against his legs. Squinting in the dim light, he stared blankly at it.</p><p> </p><p>It was wet and mottled with dark patches. He squinted harder, an ominous feeling rising in his steadily protesting stomach. There was a glint. Poking it cautiously with his left hand, he froze.</p><p> </p><p>As if that was the catalyst, pain washed over him, making him shake more. That was bone. Sticking out of his hand.</p><p> </p><p>Yuta was no longer sleepy, as he stared at his broken hand. Wetness slipped down his hand, dropping like light rainfall on his legs, warming them. He wished that he would go back to being cold. He shivered again, and his hand twitched, tearing against the dark-tipped whiteness of the bone.</p><p> </p><p>Yuta blanched, and his stomach roiled one more time before he turned to the side and vomited.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>"Have any of you seen Yuta?" Taeyong woke them up by yelling from the living room.</p><p> </p><p>Taeil stumbled out of his room, staring at the frantically pacing leader.</p><p> </p><p>"Uh, I thought Yuta-hyung had already come back," Donghyuck blinked at Taeyong, bemused.</p><p> </p><p>"No, I can't find him." Taeyong worried his lip, turning to fully face them.</p><p> </p><p>Taeil rubbed his eyes, grogginess leaving him in favor of the dread that sunk in his stomach like a car in a flood.</p><p> </p><p>"But..." </p><p> </p><p>Taeil turned, seeing Doyoung standing next to him, the same dread reflected in his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Glancing over sharply, Johnny frowned. "Do you know where he is?"</p><p> </p><p>Doyoung bit his lip, turning to share another look with Taeil. </p><p> </p><p>"Guys, this is important. If you know where Yuta is-"</p><p> </p><p>"He left with Junghwa," Taeil cut him off, anxiety buzzing through him. Something was very wrong, he was sure of that. </p><p> </p><p>"Junghwa? Our new manager?" Taeyong looked just as suspicious as he was.</p><p> </p><p>"Junghwa said that he needed to talk to Yuta - that he would bring him back later. I was so tired... I didn't think anything was odd..." Doyoung looked sick.</p><p> </p><p>The puzzle pieces connected in Taeil's mind. Looking around at the other members, it seemed to have clicked for them as well.</p><p> </p><p>"What did Junghwa do to Oppa?" Mark whispered, horrified.</p><p> </p><p>Nobody even thought to smile at the form of address, all of them similarly horrified. </p><p> </p><p>"What do we do now?" Taeil said at last.</p><p> </p><p>Nobody spoke up.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Yuta wasn't sure how much time had passed, but judging by his injuries - he spared a sickened glance towards his wrist - it had been a while.</p><p> </p><p>Long enough for them to mutilate him, at least. </p><p> </p><p>Biting his lip - and immediately releasing it, no need to add anymore injuries to his already battered form - he tried to remember what happened. He could remember going through busy schedules... Yuta had been so tired... he remembered getting drinking water... getting into a car....</p><p> </p><p>His eyes widened. The water.</p><p> </p><p>Who had given him the water? Racking his brain furiously, he tried to remember. His gut was telling him that it was crucial to know this info.</p><p> </p><p>There was a clink from across the room and heavy footsteps. Yuta slowly looked up.</p><p> </p><p>Junghwa. </p><p> </p><p>The strong featured man smiled coldly at him. "Hello, Yuta."</p><p> </p><p>And Yuta knew that he was screwed.</p><p> </p><p>His only hope was that somebody realised what was going on. And judging by the sadistic smile on his manager's - no, ex-manager's face, it had to be soon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>okay so i lied; there's one more chapter. but we're almost there! p.s. happy valentines day!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The ticking of the clock was driving Taeil absolutely insane. Taeyong didn't look to be much better off, chewing his poor bottom lip until it was sore and raw in all the worst ways.</p><p> </p><p>He longed to break the silence. Say something comforting, break a little of the tension that hung over them like a cloud of miasma - gloomy, dark, ominous. He was the oldest. The one that everyone respected and looked up to, the shoulder that Taeyong and Johnny and Yuta (oh my god, Yuta) would cry upon when everything was too much. He was a rock. Or a pool. Or something, he had always been bad at metaphors.</p><p> </p><p>Either way, he should be the one providing comfort. But he found himself empty of all thoughts, words stuck in his throat, jumbled and half formed and ultimately useless.</p><p> </p><p>He looked at the faces of his tense members, tired and withdrawn and scared. Looked at them and came up with absolutely nothing.</p><p> </p><p>All they could do was wait. Wait for the police that they had called earlier, wait for the management they had contacted (despite their misgivings), wait for anything to happen. Make it or break it. This was it.</p><p> </p><p>Tail closed his mouth. All they could do was wait.</p><p> </p><p>So they did.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Yuta was choking on blood.</p><p> </p><p>He knew, intellectually, that it was a bad thing. But all he could think of now was that the blood spilling from his lips and trickling down his body was warm, and he felt hazy, felt so tired. Yuta was cold before he started bleeding. Now he was warm. Was that really a bad thing? All he wanted was to be warm.</p><p> </p><p>Yuta didn't like the cold.</p><p> </p><p>He heard snarling tones and angry voices, but he couldn't make out what they said. Finally, he was carried - up, up, up - and thrown into a vaguely familiar, dark cell.</p><p> </p><p>The cell he was first put in. Yuta remembered the cold, and his hand - the one that was little less broken than the other - reached up, tracing the wetness on his lips. He coughed harshly, more blood spilling out, warming his hand. He let the limb drop, leaning against the cobblestone. He was so tired.</p><p> </p><p>Did they remember he was here?</p><p> </p><p>Yuta coughed again. He wouldn't mind it as much, his delirious mind mused, if he was a little bit warmer.</p><p> </p><p>He swiped his hand against his lips again, letting the slow trickle of fluid slip between his fingers. He glanced down at the ground, and began to draw. Blood smeared against the grit of the ground, forming incomprehensible patterns, glinting in the shadowy light. The light bulb flickered dimly, letting creeping shadows move closer to his lone figure. Yuta shuddered, and continued to draw.</p><p> </p><p>Something in the back of his mind rang a quiet alarm, voices that sounded like - Doyoungie? Taeyongie? Johnny? One of them - telling him that what he was doing was a bad idea. Another one, a lot like Taeil, told him to be still. He frowned, a little bemused. Why? It was okay, after all. Red was such a pretty colour.</p><p> </p><p>There was a crash in the distance. Yuta didn't look over, attention focused on the way the blood looked against the dirt and grime. He patted it. It was a bit like sand.</p><p> </p><p>His mind drifted again, towards memories of a golden beach and foam-tipped waves, and he never noticed the frantic footsteps coming towards him, the people in uniforms that told him he was safe. He kept on dreaming of warm beaches and laughter and smiles.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>They got the call that Yuta was safe sometime around 2 am. Taeil was always up at that time, so he got the pleasure of reaching Taeyong's cellphone first (the poor man had finally passed out from a mixture of exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and the mysterious cup of liquid that Doyoung had innocuously presented him with, saying it was "just a tea to make you fell better, hyung, promise!" Taeil called bullshit; when Taeyong had drunk that tea he had passed out while standing) and answering the call.</p><p> </p><p>"Hello?" He quickly said.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, this is Lee Taeyong?" A calm voice asked from the other end of the phone.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, no, but I'm one of his members. Moon Taeil." Taeil hastily tacked on his name.</p><p> </p><p>The voice seemed to find it good enough, and continued speaking. "Very well. This is Hongduk Hospital; one Nakamoto Yuta has just been admitted into the ICU, room 367." </p><p> </p><p>"Can we go visit him?" Taeil chewed on his bottom lip while he waited for a reply.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, you can. He's stabilized, and you're free to see him whenever you wish."</p><p> </p><p>"Thank you - uh..." Taeil was acutely reminded that he had no idea what their name was.</p><p> </p><p>"Kim Minyoung."</p><p> </p><p>"Kim-uisa seonsangnim." He repeated.</p><p> </p><p>"Have a good day," he said.</p><p> </p><p>"Thanks, you too."</p><p> </p><p>The phone line ended, and Taeil was left staring blankly at Taeyong's phone.</p><p> </p><p>"Taeil-hyung? I heard you talking," the smooth, low voice of Johnny murmured from the hallway. Taeil turned around quickly, and felt a pang of guilt at the sight of his puffy, tired eyes and mussed hair.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." Taeil took a deep breath. "But, uh, since I was going to wake you all anyways..." he trailed off.</p><p> </p><p>Johnny stared blankly at him. "What?"</p><p> </p><p>"They've found Yuta. He's at Hongduk Hospital -"</p><p> </p><p>Taeil didn't get to finish the rest of his sentence before Johnny was bursting down the hallway, waking up every member. Taeil felt the tight little knot that had settled at the bottom of his stomach unfurl. For the first time in a long, stressful while, listening to the members' excited yells, Taeil felt everything was going to be alright.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>reunion!!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>oh my god i'm so sorry i thought i uploaded this!! but no. it was my mingyu-centric fic i posted instead. so no i did not post the last chapter of this one and i just left you guys on a cliff hanger?? yikes. well, here it is, 2 months late.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Yuta woke up, he was warm. This in itself was so unusual after the gritty cold that Yuta immediately tried to force his eyes open. Was he bleeding again?</p><p> </p><p>No, his entire body was warm. He couldn't be bleeding from his entire body.</p><p> </p><p>Right?</p><p> </p><p>The heart monitor picked up speed as Yuta fought through the haze of groggy drugs that had kept him in a blissful sleep. The door opened hastily, and Yuta froze, entire body stilling. However is heart rate was the exact opposite, picking up dizzying speeds as the monitor communicated his distress. Were his captors there to hurt him again?</p><p> </p><p>"Nakamoto-ssi, please calm down. You'll worry yourself sick. You're in Hongduk Hospital right now. Do you understand?" A soft, authoritative voice spoke from the right of the bed, where the beeping monitors were placed.</p><p> </p><p>Yuta sunk back into the bed, from where he had bolted up out of shock and fear. His brain worked at overdrive, clearing away the last vestiges of fog. "I'm safe?" Yuta finally whispered, hardly daring to believe it.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, Nakamoto-ssi. You're safe."</p><p> </p><p>At that, Yuta dared to blink open his eyes. He squinted up, eyes hazy and sticky with medically-induced sleep. The lights instantly dimmed, and Yuta was able to see clearer. Sure enough he was in a hospital room. There was no mistaking the white walls and spotless sheets that covered his body. He wrinkled his nose, a mix of relief and displeasure at the smell of antiseptic that wafted through the air. The hospital scent.</p><p> </p><p>Yuta hated the scent of antiseptic, but he thought he could come to tolerate it now. After all, there wasn't much that could be worse than the scent of your own blood, spilling across and stinking up gritty metal floors.</p><p> </p><p>His eyes slowly traced across the white ceiling. Yuta never thought he'd be so glad to be in a hospital before. Well, there were first times for everything.</p><p> </p><p>"Nakamoto-ssi?" The now-familiar voice called again, and Yuta's eyes snapped over to see a pretty, implacable woman with a smooth expression. Noting that his eyes were now focused on her, she continued. "I am Lee Haewon, and I'm the doctor treating you. You suffered from a mild concussion, moderate dehydration, a mild fever, a broken radius and a fractured ulna, as well as cracked and bruised ribs. You also suffered countless of other minor injuries, including but not limited to scrapes and bruises."</p><p> </p><p>Yuta slowly nodded. Now that she said it, Yuta could feel the vague sensation of throbbing pain coming from all those areas. He had a feeling that if it weren't for the pain medications, he would currently be a writhing mess on the floor. Or bed. Whatever.</p><p> </p><p>Taking note of his affirmation, she continued. "We've patched up your injuries, and you're no longer in serious danger. You'll recover just fine in 8 weeks, and be as good as new. I recommend taking a minimum of 10 weeks off to acclimatize your body to your new reality."</p><p> </p><p>Yuta flinched and instantly regretted it as his ribs protested. "10 weeks? I- uisa seonsangnim, how long was I gone for?"</p><p> </p><p>"You were missing for 56 hours, a little over two days."</p><p> </p><p>He was gone for 56 hours, and now he was out of commission for 10 weeks. Yuta sighed heavily, and let his head thump back on the pillow. "Thank you for telling me, Lee-uisa seonsangnim."</p><p> </p><p>The woman nodded professionally. "Now, we have a few visitors that would like-"</p><p> </p><p>Yuta shot right back off the bed. "My family?"</p><p> </p><p>The woman didn't even blink. "Your bandmates."</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, that's what I said."</p><p> </p><p>The doctor's lips twisted up in a ghost of a smile before it disappeared under he implacable demeanor. "Of course, Nakamoto-ssi."</p><p> </p><p>Yuta squinted at her suspiciously, but she pretended not to notice and continued. "They're waiting for you right now if you would like to see them."</p><p> </p><p>He tried to nod and failed. "Yes, of course, please." He babbled out. Lee-uisa seonsangnim nodded, and turned around, walking out the door.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Taeil chewed on his bottom lip. While they were waiting at the hospital, they had gotten the news from the police that Junghwa and his accomplices had been arrested. So that was one thing that was off their chests. But Taeil was certain that he couldn't rest until he knew for sure, could see Yuta with his eyes, that he was safe. Until then, Taeil would be nervously fretting.</p><p> </p><p>Almost like the answer to his prayers, a pretty woman with the most professional poker face he had ever seen walked around the corner. "Family of Nakamoto Yuta-ssi?"</p><p> </p><p>"We're his bandmates," Taeyong quickly said.</p><p> </p><p>The slightest ghost of a smile flitted over her face, like she was privy to inside joke. "Yes, that's what I said."</p><p> </p><p>Taeil blinked at her, a little startled. She smoothly continued, her face a professional mask once more. "Excellent. He's awake and he's stable. I've informed him of his medical details, and he may chose to inform you of the specifics. He's going to be out of commission for 10 weeks-"</p><p> </p><p>A choked sound came out of Mark, and Donghyuck reached over and grabbed his hand tightly, face white and unsmiling. The doctor glanced over at them and her face softened. 'He'll be out of commission for 10 weeks, but he'll be perfectly fine afterwards. His injuries are all healing at an expected rate, and he'll be brand new after a little rest and recuperation."</p><p> </p><p>Taeil let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and Doyoung slumped down in relief. Taeyong looked like he was about to cry, and seeing that, Johnny took over for him. "Can we go visit him?"</p><p> </p><p>The doctor nodded. "Of course. No more than 3 of you at a time though."</p><p> </p><p>Taeil was pretty certain that there were only supposed to be 2 people in a room at a time, but he was more than grateful that she had decided to give them some leeway. She glanced over them briefly before turning and leaving. Pausing at the door way, she glanced back. "Room 367."</p><p> </p><p>With that, she left, footsteps fading into the distance.</p><p> </p><p>They glanced at each other before Taeyong spoke up, voice now steady. "Taeil-hyung, Doyoung, and Mark should get to go." There was a low murmur, but nobody argued. They knew that Taeil and Doyoung had been the most affected by Yuta's disappearance, blaming themselves for not noticing. And Mark, well. They had all heard him crying into his pillow last night.</p><p> </p><p>Taeil stood up abruptly, and hurried through the halls, not even waiting for the others. Glancing at the room numbers, he silently counted. 363, 364, 365, 366... 367.</p><p> </p><p>He paused just as abruptly in front of the door, and stared at it chewing his lip. Doyoung and Mark caught up behind him, and they each grabbed one of his hands. "C'mon hyung," Doyoung said softly. Taeil nodded, and pushed the door open.</p><p> </p><p>Yuta was sitting up in the white hospital bed, pale and tired, but very much still Yuta. His eyes snapped over to them, some hidden signal telling them that they were there. A slow smile curled over his face, and Taeil burst into tears. Mark took one look at him and followed suit, with Doyoung giving into the relief as well.</p><p> </p><p>"Aw, hyung, guys, come here. See? Can't keep me down for long!" A wide smile was split through his face, and Taeil laughed, joy mingled through the relief.</p><p> </p><p>That's right. They still had Yuta.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>also, for anybody that's interested, i also made a discord: https://discord.gg/NWWrcJdBES. feel free to pop in and say hi. additionally, i actually got around to making a tumblr: https://scribulus.tumblr.com/</p></blockquote></div></div>
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